The Seriously Casual Series: Keeper of 1000 Combos

Beyond Dominia: Casual and Beginner's Advice Mill: Puschkin's The Seriously Casual Series: The Seriously Casual Series: Keeper of 1000 Combos

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By Puschkin, Defiant Vanguard Against The Phyrexian Invasion (Puschkin) on Sunday, December 02, 2001 - 01:46 pm:

INTRODUCTION:
(If this is not the first time you read a "The Seriously Casual Series: ..." thread, skip the introduction)

"The Seriously Casual Series: ..." is a series of threads which introduces some of my more successful multiplayer-decks. However, "successful" does not neccessaryly equal "winning". From my point of view Magic is a social game in the first place. As such I try to build decks as funny to play against as to play with. Of course there are as many definitions of "fun" as ways to abuse Necro. Here is what I and my playing group would define "fun":

We enjoy playing unusual cards or using commonly used cards in unusual ways. That does not mean that we do not use staples or power cards, but we do not abuse power cards to the fullest. We do try to win games but "making the deck work" is more important.

What we don´t find funny:
Killing everyone with infinite-whatever-combos. Taking 15-minute-turns. Using no-brainers like Overrun or Coat of Arms. Making someone watching the game incapable of doing anything (Armageddon, Stasislock). Overuse of endless repitions of CIP-effects or similar annoyances. Playing extremely unsocial cards like Gravepact.

These are no official rules and they are bend sometimes by common sense. Additionally I have my own style of play and deckbuilding: I mostly build theme decks, but my themes are related to game mechanics instead of creature types or movie titles. For example, I created a deck called "Was mich nicht tötet, härtet mich ab", a german expression that means "What doesn´t kill me makes me tougher". It packed Scars of the Veteran, Fungusaur, Reverse Damage, Respite, Sentinel, Sworn Defender, Living Artifacts and so on. I love flexible cards and tend to build nearly highlander decks, increasing it´s flexability.
These decks do not win more often than other decks because they need time to evolve. They have a very high proportion of synergy which is their greatest strength and weakness by the same time because they get only slowly stronger. Really successful (winning) decks start out harmless and kill in a flashpoint of 1 to 3 turns. Usually my decks do give my opponents a chance to stop them.
That´s social play for me.

NOTE: I am playing since Revised/Fallen Empires and my collection is rather large including many power cards such as Moxes. However, I almost never build decks around super-expensive cards and most of the older cards I use can be replaced by newer ones. Since my decks tend to be highlander anyways you´ll have no problems when you rebuild them. Just up the count of a similar card instead. This will work almost every time. I do not proxy cards and if I do not have more copies of a specific card I turn on my brain and add another, similar card. This leads me to new card combinations and forces me to try out cards that I did not use before. For example I own only one Sylvan Library. When I needed more for other decks I tried out Preferred Selection and were quite satisfied. Fight the laziness in your head and drop in some anarchy.

The decks I post are fine-tuned and I do not intent do modify them unless a new card seems to be the perfect card for this deck. You may still suggest some card additions but realize that I do not post the decks to optimize them, I do post them to share the fun I had with them and to foster some discussions about "adult" casual/multiplayer deckbuilding and gaming.

All this does also mean that you will play very interesting and balanced games if all players use decks from these series. One player building all decks is always a thrilling variant for the bored.


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This is the fifth part of the “Seriously Casual Series”. Todays´deck is a rather complex, nearly highlander one called “Keeper of 1000 combos”. The “Keeper” part of the name is an intended pun cause this deck could be considered a casual multiplayer Keeper deck, although it features only three colours and many fatties … really biiig fatties!
Basically it´s a slow deck, the slowest of this series so far. However, it won several 1-on-1 games (which it “shouldn´t”) because of it´s many survival stunts it is capable of.
The Keeper of 1000 Combos has many themes and subthemes. It emphazises on lifegain, useful things to do with that life, fat and/or hard to block creatures and creature based graveyard manipulation. These themes overlap, creating very deep synergies. The deck is not easy to pilot, you should be familiar with control decks, experiences with or against real Keeper decks are helpful.

THE KEEPER OF 1000 COMBOS
Multiplayer Emperor, Pentagram, Free-for-all
Type I
created Jan 2001, last modified Sept 2001

Reya, Dawnbringer
Lord of the Pit
Volrath the Fallen
Personal Incarnation
Shauku, Endbringer
Phyrexian Colossus
Spirit of the Night
Avatar of Hope
Dakkon Blackblade
Angel of Mercy
Karn, Silver Golem
Academy Rector
Kezzerdrix
Benalish Heralds
Bone Dancer
Coffin Queen
Raven Familiar

Corpse Dance
Ashes to Ashes
Death Grasp
Bribery
Rout
Allay
Dismantling Blow
Vindicate
Dromar´s Charm
Absorb
Reviving Vapours
Probe
Demonic Tutor
Time Spiral

Soul Link
Sleeper´s Robe
Peace of Mind
Dreams of the Dead
Land Tax
Second Chance
Pestilence
Zuran Orb
Stone Calendar
Glacial Chasm

Sol Ring
Thran Dynamo
Strip Mine
Soldevi Excarvations
Karakas
Winding Canyon
2 Underground Sea
2 Scrubland
2 Tundra
4 Swamp
5 Island
4 Plains


SOME CARD CHOICES
This time every card is a special pick. I´ll concentrate on the MVPs and the most unusual:

Dreams of the Dead:
If you don´t know what this Ice Age Uncommon does, go and look it up yourself! This card is awesome, not only in decks like this! Don´t forget, that you can activate it before your turn! A forgotten gem.

Personal Incarnation:
Just for Nostalgic Reasons TM . It does fit somehow, so I was happy to play this card again after how many years, 5? 6?

Corpse Dance:
Another MVP. Most of my kills weren´t possible without it.

Kezzerdrix:
First time I use him and I am pleased. This deck needs early defence and he´s a very potent blocker for BB2. His drawback isn´t one in multi, you wouldn´t play it anyways if there aren´t any other creatures out.

Glacial Chasm:
Helps surviving weenie rushes or your own spells. If you finally want to attack, just don´t pay the upkeep.

Mirror Universe:
Definitely belongs into this deck. But I personally hate this card, it´s kind of unethically and dirty. Feel free to use one if you have it.

DECKBUILDING NOTES AND GAMEPLAY

There is no usual gameplan for this deck. But expect that you´ll have to fight for your mana base in the first few turns and for your survival during midgame. Luckily you have many tools to succeed in this tasks.
Instead I will highlight some of the many (1000!) little and big combos this deck is named after:

Peace of Mind + Dreams of the Dead/Corpse Dance:
There are more graveyard filling cards and more ways to animate creatures but these are the most potent ones. Both combinations can be used at instant speed!

Peace of Mind + Land Tax:
This could be 9 life per turn!

Reya + Lord of the Pit:
Upkeep? What upkeep?

Reya + Volrath:
Isn´t it nice how the beautiful and the beast work together in harmony?

Glacial Chasm + Any of the spells that damage yourself including Pestilence:
Not much to say here. Beware of opposing Strip Mines/Wastelands.

Karakas + Corpse Dance:
Save your Legends from being removed from the game.

Second Chance + spells that damage yourself:
First you look like being dead, then kill several players in a flashpoint of two turns! With cards like Soul Link you could be back up to 20+ life after this!

Soul Link + Phyrexian Colossus/Lord of the Pit/Personal Incarnation:
Don´t worry about the upkeep/untap costs and use the Incarnation´s ability for good!

Academy Rector + Pestilence/Lord of the Pit:
Duh. In the case of the Pitlord go and fetch Soul Link or Sleeper´s Robe!

Karn + Rout:
One bonus combo that has nothing to do with the main themes. Animate opposing artifacts and nuke ´em all.

While playing always remember that you are never dead until you have zero life! Never, ever give up! Your life total and board position is in a steady flow of change, sometimes fluctuating slowly, sometimes in a flashpoint! You can make many stunts with this deck, in fact it´s designed to do so! For real control players the game only begins when you are on 5 life!
That´s all I can say, you have to see this baby in action to see what it is able to!
That´s it for now. I will be happy about any comments and I will answer all questions if I have the time to do so. If you copy and play the deck, please let us know your experiences!

Magic can be as funny and exciting as you want.
Puschkin


By v.t.s. on Sunday, December 02, 2001 - 02:44 pm:

Cool, i was just considering making a controlish "1000 combo" deck with a lot of similar card choices.

here's some you might consider adding:

Merikie Ri Berit, combos with karakas to gain control and then kill your opponents creatures.

Dranlu's pet with any of your big CC creatures. you get a nice creature with another one in your graveyard to be re-animated.

and you need the classic icy manipulator-royal assasin(although this may be too annoying)


By Puschkin, Defiant Vanguard Against The Phyrexian Invasion (Puschkin) on Sunday, December 09, 2001 - 11:57 am:

Icy + Royal is too classic for me. Also Royal Assassins do not live long enough to do their dirty work!

Yesterday I stumblede about one card a forgot: Mental Discipline is just great for this deck (especially with Land Tax)! I even own a foiled Discipline and forgot it! I am getting old ...

Mareike Ri Berit is cool, I consider her, but what to take out? The Incarnation is by far the weakest creature but I was so glad that it found a home.

Any other differences in your built ?


By Puschkin, Defiant Vanguard Against The Phyrexian Invasion (Puschkin) on Friday, January 18, 2002 - 07:16 pm:

Time to update:

I finally cut the Personal Incarnation after it saw some play again. Not to add Mareike, though, to make room for that Mental Discipline. Dicipline is awesome in this deck. Well, in other casual decks, too. It´s just an underrated and forgotten card. Perhaps cause it´s common!? Deck designers out there, reconsider Mental Discipline! If threshold and flashback doesn´t convince you now I don´t know what will. Ah, and get a foiled one!

The Winding Canyon turned out to be pretty useless. However, the Reflecting Pool which is in it´s place now turned out to be very useful.

A Zombie Infestion is replacing the Bonedancer on a testing basis. No game played since this change. Might be just that bit too much discard.


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